Better to stand in Hell than kneel in Heaven
Lucifer was the first to rise among all the millions who fell. He raised his head and looked over his fallen companions and the place they had been banished to. Black and lifeless, empty, hopeless. He watched them as they writhed, some slowly waking, others moaning softly in pain from their wounds. Some trying to stand. Pride flared in his heart as he saw them try and he stood all the taller. He went to help Leviathan who was next to his feet, then Lilith, Proserpine, Belphegor, who in turn helped others. The wailing began, these angels who had never seen such a place of suffering and horror. Leviathan gave Lucifer a significant look and Lucifer wearily climbed a hill. As he climbed he looked over them all and wished for a better vantage and so it was that the hill grew even as Lucifer climbed it, until all gathered could see him as he crested its top. Covered in wounds, his handsome brow bloody, Lucifer stood tall and proud, looking over his gathered followers with love. He could hear their gasps of amazement at how the very ground here shaped itself to his will, some who had already stood fell to their knees. Lucifer almost frowned in frustration at this show of worship but he did not allow himself to, angels have excellent eyesight and he knew his every movement, his every expression was being read. “My brave brothers and sisters,” He began, his low voice surprising the crowd with its rasp. Michael’s sword had dealt him a serious wound, forever changing his angelic tone to something far more rasping, but it was utterly electrifying. “We have been cast down from Heaven, but this place bears the mark of Yahweh as clearly as Heaven ever did. Look how dark, how dank this place is. But see, too, how the earth responds when we ask something of it!” With this he raised his arms, the hill growing higher, raising to a pointed platform on which he stood, looking over them all, the platform growing steps before their eyes. “This blackness and this hopelessness is the punishment Yahweh has not only placed upon us, it is also the fog he has placed over us. Should we believe it or should we make this place our own? The mind is its own place and in itself can make a Heaven of Hell, or a Hell of Heaven! “Rise with me, treat this place not as exile but escape. Not as punishment but hard-won freedom. Mark my words, it is better to stand in Hell than kneel in Heaven!” He raised his arms again, some of his lieutenants and comrades in arms began to ascend the steps, taking others with them as the platform widened, taking a shape like an ampitheatre. The earth moved, not causing so much as a single one of the millions gathered to lose their footing, it slowly formed the entire place into an ampitheatre of awesome proportions: great enough to seat the millions gathered, upon that original hill that Lucifer climbed. “We have been placed in this realm that is influenced by belief for a reason, brothers and sisters. Yahweh believes we will punish ourselves, that we will make this place a Hell where we will suffer as cruelly as he could wish for, without his having to raise a hand… all because he hopes he has made us believe that is what we deserve! Join me, stand with me, stand together as we dared to in Heaven, Stand together and make this place our salvation rather than our damnation!” The gathered host roared their support, Lucifer felt his heart swell once more but as he gazed over them he felt a small sting of defeat: they were already crying out to crown him king.